Begin by sitting down in a place that you find conducive to spiritual work. You may want to seal the area by using the Power Symbol on the walls, ceiling and floor.

Bring the palms of your hands together upright in the prayer position with your thumbs touching your heart chakra in the Gassho meditation pose. (The Gassho meditation and Reiji-ho techniques are described in Frank Arjava Petter's book "The Original Reiki Handbook of Dr. Mikao Usui"). Focus your attention on the spot where your middle fingers (the third finger from your thumb) touch. What I find useful is to gradually reduce the pressure on this spot until there is just the barest feeling or sensing that the two opposite middle fingers are in contact.

Begin with an invocation. The following is one that I use.

"Lord of all the worlds, open my heart to serve as a channel of your healing power. Guide my actions now and in the future so they heal all beings and all of your creations.

My own Reiki guides, ascended masters, and other spiritual beings, join with me in this work so that its effect may be magnified".

Where you have done work such as The ICRT's tape "Meet Your Spiritual Guides", you can invoke your Reiki guides by name. It is also helpful to enlist by name other spiritual beings associated with compassion, e.g., Chenresig, Kuan-Yin, Jesus, the Qutub, etc.

Then, while leaving your hands over your heart chakra in the Gassho position, open them slightly so you can see your palms. Imagine the Reiki Distant Healing Symbol, the Reiki Master Symbols (if you have them), and the Power Symbol going into each palm and then into your heart chakra. If you have had Karuna Reiki© training, you can visualize the Karuna Reiki© Master Symbols and the Karuna Reiki© Level One Third Symbol going in to each palm and your heart chakra. If you have not had Karuna Reiki© training, use the Reiki Mental/Emotional Symbol. If you are a Level One Reiki Practitioner, then just intend that Reiki flow during the Practice.

As you feel guided, use other Reiki or Karuna Reiki© symbols. You may also incorporate other techniques, such as contracting the Hui Yin point and placing your tongue on the roof of your mouth.

Recall to mind the Reiki Distant Healing Symbol and the Karuna Reiki© Level One Third Symbol. If you don't have this symbol, use the Reiki Mental/Emotional Symbol). If you are a Reiki Level One Practitioner, then just intend that Reiki supply additional healing energy. With your hands still in the modified Gassho position (e.g., palms slightly open), begin beaming Reiki from your hands into your heart chakra. Then rebeam this energy back from your heart chakra to your hands. Consciously repeat the process several times. The effect you are creating is a feedback loop of Reiki energy as you recycle the energy.

The purpose of this step is to activate and strengthen your heart chakra which will be used in the two exercises. When you feel you have sufficiently activated your heart chakra, gently lower your hands. Sit for a few quiet moments to experience your feelings and sensations.

After beginning to work with Reiki, many Reiki practitioners report increased sensitivity in their palm chakras, often at times becoming aware of Reiki energy outside of directed Reiki practice. That is, they feel activity in their hands when something is about to happen (e.g. receipt of a phone call, email) or when another being needs Reiki. As one works this Practice, such similar sensations may well be felt in one's heart chakra. Also once you have sufficiently activated your heart chakra through this Practice, you may then begin to consciously direct Reiki from your heart chakra during healing sessions with patients, distant healing, etc.